On Friday, June 23, Les Claypool performed with his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, a talented band featuring Sean Lennon on guitar, Harry Waters on keys, Paolo Baldi on drums, Skerik on saxophone, and Mike Dillon on percussion. They are playing a massive tour including the Peach Music Festival this coming weekend.
Neal Francis opened up the show with a funky set full of catchy riffs and exceptional vocal work. This proved to be much lighter to the heavier, bass rich riffs of Les Claypool. It fit well as an opening act but the music was truly different.
Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade opened up their set with “Thela Hun Ginjeet”, a King Crimson cover, followed by a couple Les Claypool songs including one about mushrooms, a very trippy “Amanitas”.
This led to the band performing Pink Floyd’s iconic album Animals, a psychedelic and heavy album; quintessential of the dark 1977 Pink Floyd sound. This proved to be an incredible performance, close to the studio version with really great solos and vocals by both Sean Lennon & Les Claypool.
Afterwards, the band played “Precipitation” & “Cosmic Highway” to close out their set, quickly returning for a lengthy encore featuring “One Better” & “Whamola”.
Different shenanigans included Les Claypool playing a stand up bass with a bow, wearing a pig mask, and ultimately a disco ball helmet. This along with Claypool’s relaxed stage presence and banter, and of course virtuoso level musicianship resulted in an intensely fun and laid back Fearless Flying Frog Brigade show.
Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade – The Capitol Theatre – June 23, 2023
Setlist: Thela Hun Ginjeet, Rumble of the Diesel, Amanitas, Blood and Rockets: Movement I, Saga of Jack Parsons – Movement II Too the Moon, Pink Floyd’s Animals, Pigs on the Wing, Part 1, Dogs, Pigs (Three Different Ones), Sheep, Pigs on the Wing, Part 2, Precipitation, David Makalaster, David Makalaster II, Cosmic Highway
Encore: One Better, Whamola
Photos by Cory Schwartz
photos by Filip Zalewski
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